Too weak… must… hibernate!!!

The Daily Mail (I swear they have a Cuteologist working over there) came up with yet another Cute report. This time, it’s pooooor little abandoned hedges who are too weak to hibernate AND have broken bones!

They’re wild hedgies, kitkat (see; great big galumphing feet).
And it’s sad…Ben’s right; it’s so common to see them run over, the government road safety campaign for kids is fronted by cartoon hedgehogs! Kind of sick, now i think about it…

my whole body just broke into a million teensy pieces…not just my heart…my body. I want to cry cry cry….but yet what’s to cry about?? There is someone who cares enough to wrap their little legs up and give them tons of mealies so they can hibernate until their little hedgie hearts are content…poor little hedgies…i love them…Pepper (my hog) needs some friends…they can come over and have a slumber party with him and he’ll sign their casts with *sister’s cat blob’s* sharpies…

Actually, when I lived in England it was called St. Tiggywinkles. I wonder if they changed the name or if it is just a misprint? If I remember correctly it was opened because of all of the hedges that were injured crossing roads. I am quite sure that the entirety of the staff at St. Tiggywinkles is Cuteologist certified. They would have to be, I would think.

St. Tiggywinkle’s does a marvelous job rehabbing hedgehogs. Indeed, they recently sent a hedgehog ambassador to the middle east to show people what a difference they could make. Our own roving cuteologist correspondent managed to take time away from the TTT (ICHC people will recognise the reference) to take a picture:http://a3.vox.com/6a00c225256ce18fdb00c2252a1c83549d-pi

PS It’s a damning indictment of organised religion that the head of a certain religious movement who lives in a very small city state in Italy and who has a penchant for silly hats has consistently refused to beatify St. Tiggywinkle, despite repeated requests to do so, and in the face of a mountain of evidence supporting her miraculous deeds. Indeed, Mrs. Tiggywinkle’s ability to get currant wine out of Jenny Wren’s damask table cloth alone should qualify her for sainthood, let alone the wonder she works with Peter Rabbit’s clue jacket.

Who in their right mind would abandon a hedge? I guess there are all sorts of ninnies out there — I have fought the urge to get a hedge of my own because they’re illegal in PA, and I don’t want to subject a poor critter to the possibility of not having a Vet who knows how to treat them. Otherwise, I would have smuggled one in a long time ago! The are not ferocious or mean, they don’t carry disease, and they wouldn’t be able to survive even the Autumn here in Pennsylvania, so what is the deal? Poor baby! My heart is breaking.

OK. I guess I should have read the Daily News before I poured my heart out — I understand now — England has wild hedgehogs that have nothing to do with being pets in Pennsylvania. And I understand their dilemma with the hibernation. It’s my own fault for being impetuous!

Purplepeepz — The hedges in England are a different variety from the ones that we usually see in photos on CO. Those are actually from Africa. The English ones have larger feet — but one doesn’t want to call attention to it as they are quite sensitive about it. Their heads are a little different — and both are quite quick to point out that they are the handsomer variety. Brit hedges are all over the place. It is quite a treat to have them in your garden. Kind of like getting free pets when you buy a house.

I give them as much as I can, because it’s a crew of dedicated people who genuinely care about the animals they help.

Hedgies had a tough time with the mild autumn and the sudden change to cold weather (was anyone else sort of shocked when winter came quite suddenly in the second week of November?). But there’s another good part to this story…the BBC’s Autumn Watch, a TV show about nature which ran nightly for two weeks, illustrated the problems hedgehogs face after the summer, including the dangers posed to them by bonfires for Guy Fawkes day (they love to hibernate in warm, close places covered in leaves, so they often end up sleeping in the base of a bonfire before it’s lighted). So people who saw the show have been extra vigilant in bringing these babies in.

You can attract hedgehogs to your garden by doing the following:

1) DON’T use slug killer. A hedgehog will eat all the slugs in your garden over a period of a few days.

2) Put out Hedgehog kibble (you can get it from most pet stores or garden centres). If you’re worried about attracting rats, put another plate over the top of the bowl. Hedgies will find a way to push it off.

3) Put out a bowl of clean water, and change it every day. Clean water is as important to wildlife as food, and it’s not as easy to find as you might think.

4) If you’re not squeamish, put out a plate of mealworms at dusk. You can buy them live or dried from most pet shops, or on line through the RSPB. If you buy them dried, pour a bit of warm water over them after you’ve put them out.

Please take care of these wonderful creatured. And remember St Tiggywinkles!

Carol Rose, you are right. In England (and Scotland and Wales and possibly Northern Ireland as well, who knows) we do not tend to keep hedgies as pets. What we are encouraged to do, and I certainly follow it, is not to use pesticides, and especially slug pellets, on our gardens to encourage hedgies in to clear away the slugs naturally and not die from ingesting the poisons second hand. I have very holey hostas but a clear conscience. We also have to be careful to prod bonfire material before we light them, in case any hedgies have crept in for a kip. 🙂

Ok, I knew in theory that hedgehogs are in people’s gardens in England, but now that I actually read you people’s practical advice on attracting them and living with them, I am FILLED with the JEALOUSY.

Why-for, how-come all of the
hurt little paws today? I know it happens, but if I had a pet with a boo-boo, I wouldn’t want people to gawk- it is hooomiliatingk to the little owner of the teeny-tiny itsy-bitsy bandage! I hereby wish them all a speedy recovery and more understanding owners.
Tsk-Tsk.
KSA

This post prompted me to make a donation. They are St. Tiggywinkles (name has not changed). Someone already posted the URL for making a donation, but I’ll post again in the hopes that it will encourage more.

Katrina, I count just one hurt paw. ..and somehow I doubt the hedgehog is aware of its new celebrity on CO. Or would mind if it did, seeing how its plight has already inspired donations to Tiggywinkles.

Arr me hearties! Tis I Hegglepiggle the peg leg pirate, and I be off to sail the seven seas. Me and the boys be searching fer gold dubloons and wild wenches and plunder! It be a ruff life being a Pirate but I Like it!

Celia — The “hidden toes” are indeed inside the cast for protection, immobilization. A side benefit of that is that they stay nice and toasty warm, which is helpful as this wee thing wouldn’t be able to curl them up to his body while in a cast. So please rest assured that teeny toes are safely in the cast.

That has got to be the worlds smallest cast, am I wrong? So cute and yet so sad too. sad face “awww!” 😥
I laughed at the name of the place they are being taken care of, yet at the same time I thank God for places like them.